Recently, mobile telephones have become increasingly common, and the most popular model is that which is light and small and which the user can easily carry around with him.
However, the keypad has proven be a limiting factor for miniaturisation. In the smallest telephones found on the market, the keypads have already been found to be difficult to use because the keys are too small.
An example of a previously known keypad which to a certain degree solves this problem on a bracelet-mounted calculator is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 4,044,242. The keys here are replaced by two sliding means which are slid into a position on a scale corresponding to a desired symbol, and by pressing the sliding means the symbol is fed to the calculating part of the calculator at the same time as the symbol is displayed on a display device. In this known device, the means for transferring the chosen symbol to the calculator is connected to the sliding means so that when the sliding means is pressed the transfer takes place. This is a rather unsuitable solution as unintentional transfer of a symbol can easily take place, which is especially the case when the apparatus is kept in a pocket, bag or similar, i.e., not used as prescribed in the patent publication. This solution is thus not suitable for mobile telephones or similar handcarried units.